The invention relates to a device for producing an electrical plug-in connection between electrical or electronic component parts or sub-assemblies.
From DE 32 39 370 C2 a vehicle door is known having an outer door panel which has a support frame with a recess for a window pane. An assembly support holds the door fittings such as window pane, window raiser mechanism and door lock and is made separately from the outer door panel, is assembled together and fitted on the outer door panel. An inner door trim forms the closure between the vehicle door and interior of the vehicle and is connected to the assembly support or to the outer door panel.
From DE 35 29 660 C2 a vehicle door is known having an outer door panel, a door frame and an inner door panel which has several cut-out sections which are covered by a support plate. The support plate is provided with a cable tree which has several branches which are fixed by connectors such as adhesive tapes to the support plate and have at their ends connecting plugs which can be connected to the different electrical fittings of the door such as window raiser motor, door lock, opening switch for the boot, etc.
From U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,735 a modular vehicle door is known which is comprised of an outer door skin, a door module with a door frame and a side impact protection as well as an inner trim. A drive unit for a window raiser as well as a door lock mechanism are mounted on the side impact protection. A cable tree is connected to the door module and guided through the connecting side of the vehicle door and in turn is provided with plug-in connections which are connected to the electrical device.
DE A 38 04 086 A1 describes a cable tree assembly in a protective lead housing with openings for passing through electrical plugs and which is mounted by screws on the inner trim of vehicle doors.
DE-A 38 04 086 A1 describes a cable tree assembly in a protective lead housing with openings for passing through electrical plugs and which is mounted by screws on the inner trim of vehicle doors. The plugs are thereby mounted displaceable through resilient bearing arms in the openings of the housing in order to compensate for any inaccuracies in the position between the component parts fixed in the inside wall of the door and the plugs.
DE 35 30 413 A describes a component kit for laying electric leads wherein the electrical contacting of the plug-in parts is produced through a shape-stable support part in which full-length plug parts in the form of conducting pins are formed. A shaped or cover part is fitted onto this support part in order to line the electrical plug parts from the interior.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,648 describes a device wherein the electrical leads provided with the plugs of the electrical components mounted in a vehicle door frame are guided out from openings in the inner door panel up to level with the inner trim. Between the inner trim and the inner door panel is a cable tree with plugs which are likewise extended out up to the level of the inner trim and lie next to the plugs of the components. The relevant components are connected by bridges through the cable tree to the corresponding switches or power supply leads.
From EP 0 534 659 A2 an arrangement of several cable trees in a vehicle door is known wherein the components mounted inside a door frame are fitted completely with the cables of the cable tree prior to fitting the inner trim. The switches on the inner trim are likewise connected to a cable tree wherein the cable trees each open into a multipoint plug and these are brought into contact with each other when assembling the door frame and inner trim.
By attaching flexible extruded sealing profiles between the assembly support or support plate and the inner door panel or by covering the various types of openings on the inside of a vehicle door by means of a large-surface watertight foil the inside of the vehicle door is divided into a wet cell lying between the outer door panel and the support plate, assembly support or the like as well as where applicable the watertight foil, and a dry cell of the vehicle door lying between the assembly support or support plate and the inner door trim. Through suitable sealing measures in the area of the support plate, assembly support or the like, moisture is prevented from penetrating into the dry cell and thus to the space adjoining the inner door trim.
Various vehicle door component parts are mounted on the wet cell side of the assembly support or support plate and the electrical connection with these component parts is produced by means of a cable tree which is guided through an opening from the dry cell into the wet cell and produces an electrical connection there with the relevant component part by means of a wet cell plug-in connection. By way of example electrical locks are fixed with and without integrated electronics as well as with and without control logics on the wet cell side of the assembly support or the support plate or on the inner door plate and are connected by means of a wet cell plug-in connection on the lock to a cable tree which is guided from the dry cell to the wet cell through an opening in the assembly support or support plate or cover foil.
This type of electrical connection between an electric lock and a cable tree requires a cable guide and the arrangement of a plug-in connection in the wet cell so that additional sealing measures are required on the lock, on the plug-in connection and on the duct for the cable tree from the dry to the wet cell.